Alabama Frugal Mom

Goodbye to Alabama Frugal Mom at Blogspot...

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:07:00 +0000

I have incredible news! I am now blogging exclusively for al.com! Please visit "The Frugal Mom" featured in the Lifestyle blogs.

More exciting news... I don't have all the details, but they are going to start printing my blog weekly in The Birmingham News! : )

al.com is the web affiliate of The Birmingham News, Mobile's Press-Register, The Huntsville Times, The Alabama Baptist, Montgomery Independent and the Redstone Rocket!

al.com is Alabama's #1 Web site with over 852,000 unique monthly visitors and over 51 million page views a month. In addition to being the state's best local source for news, information and classifieds, they have received numerous industry accolades.

Please visit me there! I have enjoyed all of your comments! Thank you!

Holly Cow ---Buy One Get One FREE!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:31:00 +0000

I have been really bummed out... Holly Cow has been absent from the shelves of Wal-Mart for about a month now. :(

I was researching where I could buy it, and found it at Walgreens! Get this... Not only did I find it, it is Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) Right now!!!! I got two bottles for $3.49! Yeah!

Want some FREE coffee and FREE creamer?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:36:00 +0000

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I have never tried coffee from Dunkin' Donuts, but I hear it is really good.

Now I get to find out for myself.

Click here to get your own FREE sample!

Act quickly... there are limited quantities.
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Get a FREE bottle of COFFEE-MATE!

Sign up now to receive a coupon for one FREE bottle of COFFEE-MATE (a $4.50 value) and discover for yourself how good your coffee can be when you stir up something new.

Enjoy coffee prepared exactly the way you like it... Let's see milk do that!

Liquid or Powder

Consignment Sale Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:36:00 +0000

If you are like me, you let church-sponsored kid's consignment sales slip by without remembering to consign your clothes or shop the sales.

Mostly to help me remember, I am going to give updates about upcoming sales a few days before they start receiving items. That way, I can actually participate and hopefully you can, too! Here is the upcoming sale:

Asbury United Methodist Church (North Shelby County)
Giggles & Grace
March 26 - 27 Receiving Items
March 28 - 29 Open to Public
Link to Sale

Want to reduce your junk mail?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:10:00 +0000

Do you get a lot of catalogs that you don't want or need? Do you feel guilty when you take these volumes of paper directly from your mailbox to your trash can? There is a company that can help! Catalog Choice.

The Catalog Choice service is designed to benefit everyone:

* You benefit by reducing mailbox clutter, and the amount of time you spend sifting through unwanted mail.

* Your participation benefits merchants, lowering their cost of distribution and helping them better target their market.

* Your participation as a member of the Catalog Choice community collectively promotes the use of best practices in the direct mailing industry.

* Your participation as a member of the Catalog Choice community will collectively make a huge positive impact on our environment, as together we reduce the energy consumed, the carbon emissions, and the lost forests resulting from the current annual production and discarding of more than 19 billion paper catalogs.

* Finally, these benefits are cost FREE to you.

The Catalog Choice community is presently 677,665 persons strong, having already opted out of 8,898,279 catalogs. That is a lot of catalogs!!!

I had been getting these huge catalogs from Staples in the mail. I am not sure how we got on their mailing list... maybe by signing up for their rewards card. I felt really wasteful and inconsiderate when I would take this two inch thick "book" and immediately throw it away. Even recycling it seemed careless. I never looked at a single page!

I had good intentions to write or call Staples to be taken off their list, but I never seemed to get around to it. I was relieved when I found Catalog Choice.

All you do is sign up, find the catalogs you want, and opt-out. Easy.

As much as I want to save trees, I also want to save my pocketbook. You don't want what you don't see.

I found myself looking through the Pottery Barn catalog and thinking Boy, I really need that! It was probably a fancy table runner or some cute cloth napkins that I "needed" about as much as I needed the flu. :)

By not browsing, I am not as tempted to buy. This is a win-win situation.

Frugal Recipe #2 ---Homemade Tortilla Chips

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:10:00 +0000

I love chips! I love them with salsa! I love them with guacamole! My husband and kids love them, too! I have been buying the expensive Baked Tostitos Scoops at $3.49 per bag. I buy about a bag a week, so I have spent almost $200 in the past year on chips!

Plus, I get really frustrated when things don't go on sale. I can't recall ever getting a deal on them or seeing a coupon for them. I have bought the super-inexpensive brands, but they are not BAKED! Baked chips have 1/2 the fat and are more healthy than the regular kind. I had to find a way to get my chips on the cheap!

Here is what I found: a recipe for homemade, inexpensive, and easy baked tortilla chips!

Baked Corn Tortilla Chips:

1 Bag of Corn Tortillas (around 36 tortillas @ $1.00 per bag)
Non-stick Cooking Spray (like Pam ---I like the olive oil spray)
Salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay the tortillas out on a cutting board. Spray lightly with the non-stick olive oil spray on both sides. If using a salt, sprinkle on both sides. Stack the tortillas in piles of eight. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut through the pile of tortillas, cutting into 4 or 8 equal triangles depending on how big you like your chips.

Arrange tortilla triangles in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake for approximately 6 to 7 minutes until crisp and the edges start to curl and turn lightly brown. Watch the chips carefully after 5 minutes, as they can burn easily. Once the chips are done, remove from the oven to cool. Chips will continue to crisp as they cool down. These keep for about 1 - 2 weeks in a Ziploc type bag.

This very easy and cost-effective. If you cut the chips into eighths, you can make 288 chips for less than a dollar! I have never counted the exact quantity of Tostitos per bag, but according to the nutrition guide on the back, there are around 150 chips in there. That means by making these home-made chips, I am saving almost $6.00 on every batch. After one year of making the chips instead of buying them, I will have saved over $155! Yea!

Send a FREE letter in the mail!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

How would you like to send a FREE card with FREE postage? The U.S. Postal Service is encouraging us to send actual letters in the mail again (instead of e-mail). Their campaign is called The Power of the Letter. I must admit, it is fun and exciting to get a letter or card along with all the bills and junk. Here is some information from their website about this promotion:

John Adams (October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826)

John Adams and his wife Abigail exchanged over 1,100 letters. To celebrate their prolific correspondence and honor their legacy, HBO and USPS are offering free greeting cards courtesy of Cardstore, including two-way postage, through March 31, 2008 while supplies last. Create your card, add a photo if you wish, and we'll send it to you to pen your own message. Also, enter the "Power of the Letter" sweepstakes for a chance to win a Colonial Williamsburg vacation for four.

I was very impressed with the card selections. I am not sure what I expected the cards to look like... probably like the picture of John Adams above. They were not at all like that.

There are six cards to choose from, and they look like expensive Hallmark cards. They are very modern and interesting. Once you select the card you like, then you pick a quote and even add one of your own photos. If there was any downside, it would be the back of the card: It is an advertisement for the HBO miniseries John Adams. Not a bad trade-off in my mind, though. Now, if I can just win that vacation!

A cheaper way to fight stains!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:50:00 +0000

Fels-Naptha. Yes, I am writing in English. Fels-Naptha is an old-timey bar of soap used to pretreat laundry stains. If you have a stain... Fels-Naptha is your game.

It works wonders on grass stains, oily spots, chocolate, blood, ring-around-the-collar, perspiration, make-up, baby formula, dirt, and mud stains. Basically, any stain you might get, Fels-Naptha can usually get it out.

Here is the best part: a large bar (that will last FOREVER) costs around $1.75 to $2.00. You can find it on the laundry aisle with the other stain removers.

This product has been around a long time:

In 1894 Joseph Fels acquired Charles Walter Stanton's formula for soap when he purchased Stanton's mismanaged soap company. The soap was remarkable for its ability to cut through grease and grime due to the presence of a benzene solvent called naphtha. A successful marketing campaign ensued and brought about a dramatic increase in the sales of the soap. Eventually Fels and Company discontinued production of all other varieties of soaps and concentrated solely upon Fels-Naptha (the first "h" dropped for commercial convenience). ---The Historical Society of Pennsylvania

It is very easy to use. Wet the fabric with water. Rub the bar of laundry soap on the stain. Once the stain is coated with the soap, rub the fabric ---working the soap deep into the stain. Wash as usual. For really tough stains, wait 5 to 10 minutes and then wash.

If you are feeling very frugal, and you want to make your own laundry detergent on the cheap, here is a tried and true recipe:

1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap (grated with a hand-held cheese grater)
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

Mix together all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container. Use 1/8 to 1/4 cup at a time. (It does not create suds like most detergent, but gets clothes super-clean.) You could add one drop of essential oil (like lavender or peppermint) to the water in the wash cycle to add a fragrance.

One more neat thing Fels-Naptha is good for: removing poison ivy resin from clothes! Shave off (with a hand-held cheese grater) about 1/16 of a bar into your washing machine like you would regular detergent. Wash as usual. It will get out all of the poison ivy residue from any exposed clothing. Interesting.

Make an Easter dress by THIS Easter!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:30:00 +0000

www.pattycakefashions.comVintage Pillowcase Dress $40

If you have no idea what your little girl is going to wear for Easter, I might be able to help. It requires the most basic of sewing skills and almost no expense. It is called a pillowcase dress!

You can find them in children's boutiques around town and on the web for around $30 to $50 each. Don't pay it! Make it!

www.lollipopsandgumdropsboutique.comNew pillowcase dress with pom-pom fringe. $49.99

All you need is a pillowcase. A plain white one will do. If it happens to have some sort of embroidery or lace ---all the better. You probably have a pretty one in your linen closet right now. Why not put it to good use?

You can also add cute pom-pom fringe on the bottom if you want. You can get it almost anywhere for less than $2.00 per yard. You will only need about a yard and a half to go around the bottom of the dress (measure the open end of the pillowcase before you buy any trim). Next, buy around three yards of matching ribbon ---and you are set!

Here is what you will need:

One Pillowcase (embroidered or a pretty edge if possible)
Needle and Thread (sewing machine recommended)
3 yards of ribbon ---cut into two 1 1/2 yard pieces (2 yards for an infant dress)
Fray-Check
Scissors
Straight Pins
Iron
Ironing Board

Follow these easy instructions from AndersonsPlace.Net

Pillowcase dress I made the other day.

This is the website I learned from over two years ago! It has step-by-step, easy instructions made for someone who has no sewing experience. (That would be me!) I STILL refer to this website when making these dresses. It takes about two hours from start to finish. Depending on how fancy you get, you can save between $30 to $40 by making these dresses yourself. Let me know if you make one!

p.s. These can be worn year-round with a turtleneck or other long-sleeve shirt underneath. I also have my little girls wear leggings or pants in the colder months.

My favorite place to buy trim is at Smith's Variety in Mountain Brook. They have tons of ribbons and fringes in all price ranges. I have not found a better selection anywhere else. Just be careful not to go crazy with the trims. I have spent way too much there before!

Make fabulous clothes from recycled t-shirts!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:26:00 +0000

Natalie Chanin (right) at the Weekend Workshop

I have just returned from a Weekend Workshop with Natalie Chanin who owns Alabama Chanin clothing line (formally Project Alabama). The workshop was held in Tuscumbia, Alabama in the fantastic GAS Studio. Here is some information about Chanin from her book and website:

Internationally acclaimed designer Natalie Chanin grew up in Florence, Alabama, learning to stitch from her mother, grandmothers, and aunts. She shares the techniques she and her stitchers have refined to create their handmade Alabama Chanin couture collections from recycled cotton jersey (t-shirt) fabric. Natalie has a degree in Environmental Design from North Carolina State University and works as designer, manufacturer, consultant, stylist, filmmaker, mother, artisan, cook and collector of stories.

(Alabama Chanin jacket made with hundreds of appliqued squares from recycled t-shirts)

I first read about her work in The Birmingham News around a year ago and I have been hooked ever since! Her garments are so incredible and unusual! She takes t-shirts that she finds at thrift stores and recycles or "upcycles" them into couture clothing. Yes, I said couture! (She has been featured in Vogue, Time, The New York Times and on CBS News.) That is the irony of it all. She uses something extremely plain and ordinary like a t-shirt and turns it into a heirloom quality work of art!

The best part of all, she is teaching others the lost art of hand sewing and embroidery. She has just released a book called the Alabama Stitch Book. It shows you step by step how to make these fantastic clothes and other cool stuff with not much more than t-shirts, needle, thread, spray paint and scissors! You don't even need a sewing machine! She also teaches you the technique for FREE on her website!

I started a reverse-applique top. She gives complete instructions, the actual (printed to scale) pattern and the pre-cut stencil with the book. If I can do this, anyone can do it! It just takes time and patience. Here are some pictures:

(The unfinished top I started this weekend.)

(Detail of the top I am making.)

The top fabric is an extra-large t-shirt dyed a blackish-brown (Rit dye works great). The bottom fabric is an extra-large t-shirt dyed an earthy-orange. Using any stencil you like, you spray paint the pattern on the top layer of fabric. I used a leaf pattern with white spray paint. Using buttonhole weight thread, you tie a double knot and stitch around each shape tying a double knot at the end. With small scissors you then carefully cut out the top (brown) fabric, leaving the second (orange) fabric to show through. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

She also gives the pattern to my favorite skirt in the book. The same skirt (finished by hand) on her website sells for $1425. Yes that is one-thousand, four-hundred and twenty-five dollars! (It is shown with the same stencil I used for my top. Once you learn the stitching techniques, you will truly appreciate how amazing her work really is and why the price is so high!) If you take out the time it would take to do this yourself, you would save about $1415! The total cost of the supplies is only around $10. Now that is a savings! Plus, it is so wonderful to know you made the clothing with your own hands!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:24:00 +0000

I now have a much more interesting and cool replacement for eBay when shopping for unusual items and gift ideas. It is called Etsy. I don't know why it is called that... but, it rhymes with Betsy. Here is a look at their site:

Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. We built it for those consumers conscious of the true value of handmade goods and their creators, as well as to give all independent artists the technology and information they need to make a living, making things. Our intention is to offer viable alternatives to mass-produced objects in the world marketplace, and to encourage consumers to be aware of the social and environmental implications of their purchases.

The connection between producer and consumer has been lost. We created Etsy to help them reconnect, and swing the pendulum back to a time when we bought our bread from the baker, food from the grocer, and shoes from the cobbler.

Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.
If you are looking for a frugal, unusual, and one-of-a-kind gift ---this is the place to shop! It is similar to eBay in that each seller has a store and a rating. If you are an artisan, or know how to make something, you could easily make money selling your wares on this site. Plus, I hear it is much cheaper than selling on eBay!

Here are some of my favorites:

AnnaLeahDesigns$13.00
Original photograph on clay. (sealed, baked, waterproofed)
Price is for pendant and necklace.

handsmocked $24.90
Hand-made and Hand-smocked

stitchella $6.00
Sparrow Coffee Cozy

bradleyspottery$6.00
Small Tortoise Shell Stoneware Vase
(hand-made)

ectasy$7.50
hand silk-screened t-shirt

Can you believe the bargains? I must warn you: Etsy can become addictive. ;) Have fun!

A better way to organize your coupons!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:15:00 +0000

If you have ever clipped coupons, you know what a hassle it is to organize them. I have tried many different methods. Years ago, I put the few I had into a plastic sandwich baggie and stuck it into my purse. This worked fine when I was not a serious coupon clipper.

Next, I moved on to the more obvious choice: a coupon organizer. You can find them at Wal-Mart and sometimes at the Dollar Tree. They are small expandable file folders to hold coupons. They come already labeled. This was a problem. My organizer had no label for baby items or many of the other things I had a lot of coupons for. I ended up re-labeling it to make it work for the categories I needed.

The trouble with this system is ---you have to sift through all of your coupons within a broad category to find THE ONE you are looking for. When you are a serious coupon clipper like me, you have a lot of coupons! I realized I was spending an extra thirty to forty-five minutes in the grocery store sifting through them on a big shopping trip.
While in my local Publix happily shopping for groceries, the ultimate coupon clipping nightmare occurred: I dropped the organizer! GASP! It is somewhat painful to talk about even months later. It fell in slow motion into the middle of the crowded aisle. All I could think was NOOOOOOO!

It was messy and embarrassing. There where hundreds of coupons spread almost 10 feet around me. There I was, on hands and knees trying to pick them up one by one. I don't know much about physics, but somehow the organizer flew open in mid-air and released every single coupon.

The worst part was ---they were no longer organized! I chunked all of them into my purse, checked out the groceries I had (without using any coupons) and went home. That was IT! I had to come up with a better system!

After much thought, here is what I came up with: I found a small binder with built in sheet protectors laying around the house. I got mailing address labels and stuck them on the sides of each page (one on the front, one on the back, so they matched up... see the picture) off-setting them so they would show from the front. I then marked the labels with the categories I wanted.

If you are new to coupon clipping, you may want to know what categories to put on the labels. Here are mine:

* Baby
* Baking
* Beverages
* Breakfast
* Canned Goods
* Condiments
* Cleaning
* Dairy
* Freezer
* Meats
* Misc. (for batteries, restaurants, etc.)
* Paper Goods
* Pasta and Rice
* Personal Care
* Produce
* Snacks

To make the sheet protectors less flimsy, I stuck a piece of card stock into each one. Then, I got Scotch tape and stuck every coupon onto the outside of the sheet protectors. I started at the bottom and worked my way up to the top of the page, overlapping as needed.

This new method of organization has worked like a dream! I can glance down into my coupon book and see the coupons all at one time (no more sifting and digging). As I find a coupon I am going to redeem, I simply un-stick it from the page it is on, fold down the tape onto the back of the coupon, and slide it into the pocket of the very last sheet protector. When I am ready to check out, they are all together and ready to be scanned.

If you are getting serious about clipping coupons and want to get more organized, I encourage you to try this method. It really works! (Plus, if you drop it, NO coupons fall out!) : )

Frugal Recipe #1 ---Homemade Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:09:00 +0000

I love pizza. My husband loves pizza. Most importantly, my kids will eat pizza! One of my favorite take-out pizzas is a Pepperoni Pizza from Mellow Mushroom.

A l6" large pepperoni pizza from Mellow Mushroom will set you back a whopping $16.00. Add tax and tip (yes, you are supposed to tip around 5-10% even if you pick it up yourself these days) and you've got about a $20 pizza. Let's say you order one take-out pizza from there once a month, ...that's around $240 per year!

I don't really care for frozen pizza. The only kind I will buy (unless I am desperate) is Freschetta's Brick Oven pizza. The problem: it rarely goes on sale, and ~~I haven't seen a coupon for it in years.~~ (found one while clipping coupons this morning) : ) It sells for around $6.00 per pizza. We eat pizza at least once a week... if we buy it frozen we are spending $312 a year ---and I don't even like it that much!

Enter homemade pizza. I was totally intimidated by the thought of it. But, my very first attempt (after watching a few "how to" videos) was quite delicious. Maybe these statistics will help you to change your mind, too. I can make two 12" pizzas with the recipe printed below. The total cost per pepperoni pizza is around $2.00. Hypothetically, if I were to make homemade pizza once a week instead of ordering it out, I would save over $900 per year!!!

Did I mention this pizza is GOOD? I think it tastes better than Mellow Mushroom's! Here is the recipe:

Wendy's Yummy Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS:

One packet of active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 - 115 degrees F---take the water's temperature with a thermometer! ---this is critically important to your pizza's success!)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour (approximately) ***(see note below for wheat crust)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 3 cups of the flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for one minute before rolling out. Roll or stretch out dough onto stone or pan. Poke dough all over with a fork to prevent shrinkage. Add your favorite pizza toppings. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

When I first started making pizza at home, I had no idea how to knead or how to form the crust. Watching videos really helped me. Here is a video from Epicurious:

*** To make a whole wheat crust follow the recipe above, but use 2 cups wheat flour with 2 cups all-purpose flour. You can try 3 cups of wheat flour to 1 cup of all-purpose flour if you would like, but it can be pretty dense and chewy.

Want to save even MORE money on groceries?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:16:00 +0000

I have found a new grocery store chain. It is called ALDI. Yes, ALDI. Weird, I know. I had run across the name on numerous sites showing great places to find deals.

For fun, I entered my zip code on their website to see where the closest chain would be (assuming it was in Atlanta). I could not believe my eyes when there were not one, but three stores in my area! How did I miss this?

Before I say anything more, I must tell you, this is NOT, I repeat, NOT a normal grocery shopping experience!

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First, you have to bring a quarter with you: two dimes and a nickel will not work. The quarter is to release the shopping cart. Yes, you have to pay to get a cart. You stick a quarter into a little slot and it releases a cart for your shopping pleasure. I have added a picture so you can see for yourself! You get the quarter back when you return the cart. Here is their reasoning:

Part of the ALDI experience is enjoying all of the money-saving rituals that come with smarter shopping. ALDI regulars have come to find our easy-to-use shopping cart deposit system downright endearing, figuring that paying too much is a much greater inconvenience. With this system, we don't have to assign an employee to round up carts in the parking lot, we don't lose expensive carts, and you don't have to worry about dings in your car doors from runaway carts.

Another thing you MUST know before shopping at ALDI is they only take cash, EBT cards, and PIN-based debit cards. I was planning to use my debit card, but once I got there, I realized I had to know the PIN number or I could not use it. (note: I can't seem to find time to go to the bank to change my PIN number, and I cannot remember the one they assigned me.) I am glad that I had some cash, or I would have left empty handed!

Another extremely important tip: bring your own grocery bags! I am all for going "green," but if you don't bring your own, you will have to BUY them! (No, I am not kidding.) Here is what ALDI says about this:

To avoid adding the cost of bags to our prices, we encourage you to bring bags from home. But if you do need them, you can purchase environmentally friendly paper bags or plastic bags from the cashier at a nominal price.

What is a nominal price you ask? They have really nice and extremely large plastic bags (which hold as much as about four regular plastic grocery bags) for ten cents each. They have brown paper bags for five cents each.

Last of all, not only do you bring your bags, you bag them yourself. No shocker there, except as they ring up your purchases, the cashier places all of your items into a different empty cart. After paying, they have built-in counters all around for you to bag your items. Interesting.

This is all very high maintenance isn't it? So, the real question is... Is it worth it? I say yes. You will not be able to buy everything you usually do at a normal grocery store because they only carry a limited selection. But, I bought a gallon of milk for $1.99! (limit 2) I have not seen prices that cheap on milk in years!

I haven't tried all the items I purchased, but so far I have been very pleased. Almost all of the products I remember seeing in the store were between 20% to 60% cheaper than Wal-Mart or Publix. Most of the items they carry are their store brand. It is not obvious what their brands are, but when you look at the packaging you will see a logo showing their "Double Guarantee:"

Quality, taste and satisfaction are always DOUBLE guaranteed at ALDI. If for any reason, you are not 100% satisfied with any product, we will gladly replace the product AND refund your money.

They do not take coupons, so don't bring them.

I also found their Meal Planner very helpful.

What do you think about ALDI? I would love to hear from you!

I scream. You scream. We all scream for FREE Ice Cream!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:14:00 +0000

Get your PJ's ready! Brewster's Ice Cream's PJ Day will be on Saturday, March 1st! Come in your PJ's and get a free single scoop waffle cone.

Have you ever had their ice cream? It is GOOD! My favorites are chocolate turtle and chocolate yogurt with wet walnuts... YUMMY! Here is a frugal scoop (pun intended): If you have small children under 40" tall, they all get a baby cone or cup with sprinkles for FREE with any adult purchase!

If you ask for their Sweet Rewards punch card, your 10th ice cream scoop is FREE! I love any company that rewards me for eating... especially if there is ice cream involved!

Since we are talking ice cream, find out what your favorite ice cream flavor says about you?

Is your birthday today?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:13:00 +0000

If you happen to be having a birthday today... swing by Whole Foods Grocery Store on Highway 280 in Mountain Brook. They will give you a free cake and a free $10 gift card. Just bring a valid driver's license or birth certificate to prove you are a "Leap Baby." Free is GOOD!

Make your own foaming soap refills!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 04:28:00 +0000

Having three kids, we go through a lot of soap. I have found that the foaming hand soaps work well with children. If you have ever cleaned chunks of hard soap off a sink... you know what I am talking about.

Regular liquid hand soap gives the kids too much. They end up wasting time and water trying to get all of the soap off.

The problem with foaming soap is that it costs a fortune and it doesn't last very long. I was about to throw away another bottle when I had an idea: I wonder if there is a way to make your own foaming soap refills?

After searching online, I found a simple and affordable recipe. It is so easy that I was almost reluctant to write about it. Here is the recipe:

What you will need:

* Empty foaming soap container
* Bottle of your favorite dish washing liquid soap
(no moisturizers added: example---Dawn)
* Water

1. Fill your container 1/4 full of liquid soap
2. Add water (1" - 2" from top)
3. Replace top
4. Gently shake
5. Done!

I also am going to try this with my empty Bath and Body Works foaming soap dispensers. If I added a tiny drop of food coloring, I bet no one would know the difference. Plus, a lot of their soaps are too "perfume-y" in my opinion. Not having the added smell would be nice.

If you would like a more natural, gentle soap, try Seventh Generation Natural Liquid Dish Soap, in the lavender, floral and mint fragrance. You can get a 25 oz bottle for around $2.99. It is non-toxic, biodegradable and hypo-allergenic and perfect for making foaming soap for the kids! Plus, it smells great!

Alabama Frugal Mom's T.V. Debut!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Guess what? I am going to be interviewed on Fox 6 -- Saturday, March 1st -- at exactly 7:48 a.m. (That is what the producers tell me.) I am very excited and a little bit nervous. After the segment, I will be available for an online chat session to answer any frugal questions you might have. I would love to chat with you!

Never buy bottled water again!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:06:00 +0000

It was insanity. Going to the grocery store, breaking my back to pick up the jumbo pack of bottled water. Lugging it home. Unloading it. Drinking it. Watching the empty plastic bottles pile up. Starting the process again. There had to be a better way.

Even drinking the store brand of bottled water was expensive: one 20 oz. bottle costing from $.45 - $.55 each bought in bulk. Not to mention the plastic waste! I decided to make a change. I would start drinking tap water. But is it safe to drink tap water? I was not sure. Here is some information I found:

"The risk of disease associated with public drinking water has passed from the theoretical to the real." Dr. David Ozonoff, Boston University School of Public Health

"Residues of 39 pesticides and their degradation products have been detected in the groundwater of 34 states." National Academy of Sciences

Some people question the safety of drinking bottled water: Gina Solomon, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council says that bottled water may not be as safe as tap water:

"The bottled water industry is selling a vision of purity and people are buying it with the best of intentions," Solomon said. "What they don't realize is that bottled water is actually much less regulated than tap water. There are a number of studies in which we find arsenic, disinfection byproducts and bacteria in bottled water."

I also read on The Environmental Magazine's website that "25 to 30 percent of bottled water comes straight from municipal tap water systems, despite the pretty nature scenes on the bottles that imply otherwise. Some of that water goes through additional filtering, but some does not."

O.k. I was totally confused now. What is a frugal water drinker to do? I bought a water filter pitcher! There are many on the market: brands like Brita, Pur and Culligan. You can buy them at Wal-mart and Target. To filter a gallon of tap water costs around $.20 to $.30 depending on the make and model. Most of the chlorine and other toxins are filtered this way, too!

I also found another brand named Crystal Quest online that looks very interesting. The filter only has to be changed around every 6 months instead of every month. It also filters a lot more dangerous chemicals and pesticides, plus, it only costs $.007 cents per gallon to filter! Basically nothing.

I now enjoy drinking filtered tap water knowing that I am being frugal and less wasteful at the same time.

Have you priced children's kitchen sets lately?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:06:00 +0000

Pottery Barn Kid's Retro Kitchen

I have a four year old little girl. She is a girly-girl. She wants to cook in a kitchen like Mommy's. I thought we might go and get her one. Have you priced children's kitchen sets lately? They cost a small fortune!

I love the Pottery Barn Kids Retro kitchen set. It is extremely cute. But, guess how much this lovely set will "set" you back for the sink, ice box and oven? $747.00 with $45.00 in shipping. (It is currently on "special" for $649.00.) Can't you buy the real thing for around that much?

Large Pastel Kitchen from Target

My search continued. I found another wooden set at Target. It was o.k. It was not very realistic and pretty small. The price was much better at $139.99. Comparatively speaking it was a bargain... IF you have around $150.00 to sink (pun intended) into a kitchen that your child may or may not play with more than a week.

There had to be a cheaper option. I did not want a plastic one. They are all too small and made for much younger children. I was at a standstill. Where on earth can you find a reasonably cute kitchen set that does not cost an arm and a leg?

I found this on the Family Fun website:

Kitchen in a Box from Family Fun

Kitchen in a Box:

A cardboard box, gussied up as a play sink and stove, will send your toddler into pretend rapture --for real. In fact, the hours of play she'll get out of this sweet kitchen make it well worth an evening of cutting and painting. (For a simpler version, just tape the box closed, cut a hole for the bowl, and call it a sink. She'll still adore it.) Offer plain old rolled oats (which are safe to eat) and pint-size cookware for even more fun.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Large cardboard box (ours measures 14 by 18 by 26 inches)
Tacky glue
Additional flat cardboard (cut from a box is fine)
Scissors, craft knife, and pencil
Metal bowl with 1/2-inch lip
White paint, colored craft paint, and brushes (optional)
Cord or kitchen twine

Time needed: Afternoon or Evening

1. Seal the flaps of the box closed with glue.

2. Cut cabinet and oven doors, burners, and a faucet from the flat cardboard.

3. Turn the box on its side so you can lay the cabinet and oven doors on the front of the kitchen. Trace around them, then cut out 3 sides of each rectangle; leave the fourth side uncut to act as a hinge. Glue the freestanding doors on top of the hinged ones for durability.

4. Flip the box over and, on the top side of the kitchen, trace around the bowl's rim. Cut a hole 1 inch smaller than the diameter of that circle.

5. Cut a slot for the faucet. Use a sharp pencil or the craft knife to punch holes for the towel rack and door handles (you may need to work from both sides).

6. Paint the box white, if you like

7. Add the final touches: glue on the burners and faucet; paint on details such as stove knobs, hinges, and hot and cold water handles; lace cord through the holes, then knot it on the ends to make door handles and a towel rack. Finally, position the bowl in the sink hole and hang a dish towel from the rack.

This was my answer. Problem solved. Now I have to find some boxes! I bet it would be easy to make an icebox to match! Now this I can afford! Plus, if she gets tired of it in a few weeks... who cares? It is just a cardboard box!

I think I might do what another mom suggested and add jar lids for the range knobs and attach them with string so they turn. The possibilities are endless! Each time I look at my cardboard creations, I will remember that I saved over $700 with a little time and effort. Now that is frugal and fun!

Have you ever heard of IKEA?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:47:00 +0000

Shhh. I am going to let you in on a secret. Furniture stores around here don't want you to ever hear about it. It is a company called IKEA. They are known for making really cool and very inexpensive furniture and home accessories. Here is some information from their website:

IKEA offers a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. This is the idea at the heart of everything IKEA does, from product development and purchases to how we sell our products in IKEA stores globally.

Anybody can make a good-quality product for a high price, or a poor-quality product for a low price. But to make good products at low prices, you need to develop methods that are both cost-effective and innovative. This has been IKEA's focus since its beginnings in Småland, Sweden. Maximizing the use of raw materials and production adaptation to meet people's needs and preferences has meant that our costs are low. The IKEA way of doing things is to pass these cost savings on to you, our customers.

Seeing is believing! Their look is very contemporary, but some of their styles would incorporate into any decor. Here are some of my favorites:

Bookcase

$19.00

Adjustable shelves can be arranged according to your needs.

Width: 23 1/4 "
Depth: 9 7/8 "
Height: 67 3/8 "
Max load/shelf: 44 lb
.

Table and 4 Chairs

$299.00

The chair backs are shaped to the corners of the table, to save space when the chairs are pushed up against the table.

(This price is for the table and the four chairs... incredible!)

Bed

$149.00

(Full/Double)

Adjustable bed sides. Allows the use of mattresses of different thicknesses.

(You must buy a slatted bed base to hold up the mattress. It is not included. They start at $30.)

.

Bunk Bed

$149.00

The ladder can be mounted on the right or left side of the bed.
Slatted bed base is included.

Sofa

$399.00

* Easy to keep clean with a removable, machine washable cover.
* Seat cushions filled with high-resilient foam and polyester fibers
* Reversible back cushions provide soft support for your back.
* A range of coordinated covers makes it easy for you to give your furniture a new look.

..
Bar Stool

$59.99

.
Footrest for extra sitting comfort.
Solid wood, a hardwearing natural material.

.

Children's Chair

$14.99
.
Plastic, durable and easy to clean.

Width: 15 3/8 "
Height: 26 3/8 "
Seat depth: 10 1/4 "
Seat height: 11 3/4 "

If you get a chance, check out their rugs, window coverings and lighting, too! Most of these are not available online, but can be purchased in their stores. The closest store to Alabama is in Atlanta. Take a road trip there if you have a lot of items to purchase and you like a more modern influence in your decor. Happy shopping!

Want to find some FREE money?

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:36:00 +0000

Did you know that each year millions of dollars are turned over to the Alabama State Treasurer's Office by businesses who are unable to contact the owners of the money? These funds may be in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, securities, insurance benefits, etc. Did you know that you can search the Alabama State Treasurer's Unclaimed Property Database to determine if they may be holding unclaimed assets belonging to you or your family or business?

It was like a real treasure hunt! You enter your name and press search... that is it! I have found that searching in all capital letters last name first then first initial worked the best (with no comma: MCCORMICK W)

It is almost addictive. You can enter anyone's last name and see if they are on the list! If you want to make your friends and relatives very happy, search for them and let them know that you found some missing money in their name!

If you find your name, print out the Unclaimed Property Claim Form, attach a photocopy of your identification (driver's license, etc.), and attach proof of your social security number (payroll stub, tax record, etc.). Then, you have to get it notarized (don't sign it until you are in front of a notary public: most banks have one). Then you mail it in.

There is another site called Missing Money that also looks for your unclaimed money. It searches the entire United States instead of just our state. I found that the Alabama state sight gave more information about who reported the unclaimed money and if it was for $50-100 or more than $100. From what I could see, most were for more than $100. It could be $101 or $100,000+. They do not say for security reasons. Either way, it is money that you did not know you had!

I would love to hear if you found any "missing" money!

Save money on popcorn!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:36:00 +0000

I don't buy microwave popcorn. Did you know that there is a substance called diacetyl that is added to most varieties of microwave popcorn to give it the buttery flavor? Did you know when this stuff is inhaled over and over it can cause lung damage? I digress...

Let's talk about the price. A 3-pack box of regular microwave popcorn costs between $2-3 on average. A fancy bag of organic loose popcorn (no genetically modified corn and no pesticides) costs around $3 per 28 oz. bag. It sounds like the price might be comparable until you figure you can make the same amount of loose organic popcorn on the stove for less than half the price of the name brand microwave popcorn ---and it is much healthier!

My favorite way to make popcorn is with extra-virgin olive oil. Not only does it taste great, you get all of the healthy benefits of olive oil and the nutritional value of the popcorn all in one delicious snack! Here is my favorite recipe from the Simply Recipes website for perfect stove-top popcorn:

* 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (I sometimes use canola oil instead)
* 1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
* 1 3-quart covered saucepan
* Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

2. Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

3. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. (Count out loud; it's fun to do with kids.) This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

4. Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl. (Be careful because some may still be popping in the bowl!)

With this technique, nearly all of the kernels pop (I counted 4 unpopped kernels in my last batch), and nothing burns.

5. Salt to taste.

Makes 2 quarts, a nice amount for two people, or for one hungry one.

Did you know that popcorn is a whole grain food, a high-quality carbohydrate source and a good source of fiber? Compared to many snack foods, popcorn is low in calories, too. When popped in oil, it contains only 55 calories per cup. Even drizzled lightly with butter, it's only 90 to 120 calories per cup. Pair the healthy benefits with the savings and you have got a winner all the way around!

A great (inexpensive) place to have a birthday party!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:11:00 +0000

Maybe it is just me... but aren't birthday parties getting super expensive? It seems like the going price for a party somewhere is between $200-$400! YIKES! What is a frugal mom (or dad) to do?

I am always on the lookout for new places to have a party. When I was talking to an acquaintance one day at the park about all of this, she leaned over like she was going to tell me a secret... something really good.... Here is what she told me: Did you know that the planetarium at Birmingham-Southern College offers birthday parties for only $2 per child? What? In this day and age--- she had to be wrong!

I went straight home and began my research! My son was IN LOVE with space and the planets at the time. This would be perfect! There had to be a catch. Here is the information I found:

Package Includes:

Planetarium show ---choose from The Little Star That Could, The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, Planet Hopping with Astro, Larry Cat in Space, Sol and Company, etc.

Activity ---choose from blow rockets, Bubble Pop Rockets or Big Dipper Clock

Robert R. Meyer Planetarium at Birmingham-Southern College

Fees:
$2 for each child

Details:
* Reservations required
* Best for ages 5 and up

It was true! My son had his fifth birthday party there. It was one of the best parties we have had in my opinion. Things have changed a little bit in the year since we had our party. They used to let you use a classroom for the cake and presents, etc. I called the planetarium coordinator to verify all of my information and she said that you can now have a picnic style party outside of the planetarium, but they no longer let you use the classroom. You can call ahead to set up a time for a private show in the planetarium and one of the crafts listed above.

If you were unsure about having the cake and presents outside, I was thinking that you could see the show, do the craft and then go to your house or somewhere nearby like McDonalds to eat the cake an open presents. If you were to go to a restaurant, I would call ahead and be sure it was o.k. As long as you bought each child a small drink, I would assume it would be fine. That would up the price of the event from $2 per child to $3 per child... but even if you invited 15 kids, that is still only $45!

At our party, we all went up the staircase to enter the planetarium after everyone had arrived. It is like a movie theater in the round. The house lights were left on dim to keep from scaring the young children. The movie was animated and taught the children about the stars and space at an age-appropriate level. There are different movies depending on the child's age. We were able to see current night sky in Birmingham at the end of the cartoon. It was great! (There are few birthday parties where the parents are expected to sit down, relax and enjoy the show! : ) )

Afterwards, we had the cake. For fun, I will include my frugal cake idea. I made a moon with a astronaut and space shuttle on it. I baked a cake in a large Pyrex bowl, iced it white, and used a mixture of cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar sifted on top to look like the moon's surface. It really did have the appearance of craters. I placed the plastic astronaut with a small American flag on top with the small space shuttle beside it. I found sparkler candles and stuck them in the cake coming out of the back of the rocket. When we lit the candles, it looked like the rocket was taking off! What a blast!!! (joke intended ; ) )

I found another way to save money on birthday parties: only buy the themed plates and coordinate the colors of everything else in solids. Making this change can save you tons of money at each party! I found space-themed plates and coordinated solid blue table covers, cups, napkins and forks. I also decorated the room with twelve blue mylar star balloons from the Dollar Tree. I tied one on each of the children's chairs that were sitting around the table. It looked really neat, and they were one of the party favors to take home.

After the cake, we opened presents. There was a rocket craft given out, but we ran out of time to do it, so the children took it home. I found actual astronaut space ice cream on the web at $1.85 per bag plus around $5 (total) shipping. This was the other party favor besides the balloon: pretty inexpensive and the kids loved it! Total party favor cost: $3.00 per child.

If you had the party with 15 children at the planetarium ($2 per child X 15 = $30), went to McDonalds and had Hi-C and birthday cake (Hi-C @ $1 per child X 15 = $15) and a package of astronaut ice cream (@ $2 per child x 15 = $30) plus plates and napkins, etc.(@ $15-25 total) equals a grand total of around $100 for the whole party! Now that is FRUGAL! (It would be @ $75 if you had the picnic outside for the cake and presents.)

Here is the contact information if you would like to schedule your next birthday party there:

Roswitha Becker-Ingram (she is really sweet)
Planetarium Coordinator
Phone: (205) 226-4770

p.s. I will let you know about a more girl-oriented (frugal) party idea soon!

This cleaning product REALLY works!

noreply@blogger.com (WendyQM) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:20:00 +0000

I am about to introduce you to the BEST cleaning product I have ever bought! It is called Holy Cow*! (*Disclaimer: I do NOT like the name. I think the only thing that is HOLY is God. Therefore, I have drawn in with a permanent marker another "L" on all my bottles. The cow is now named "HOLLY." I feel much better about using the product.) : )

Where do I begin? Here is some information from their website:

Do you want top quality cleaning? Do you like to save money? Do you like simplicity? Do you want a safe, non-toxic product? Then you've come to the right place!

TOP QUALITY- It beats every cleaner we tested it against.

SIMPLICITY- How does it sound to be able to look under the sink and find just one cleaner that can literally do everything? Counters, tile, windows, bathrooms, kitchens, carpets, upholstery, painted surfaces, metal, wood -- it will even degrease an engine!

FAMILY AND NATURE SAFE- It is biodegradable, non-hazardous, non-toxic, and meets all the new VOC (volatile organic compounds) requirements. One of the reasons we created this cleaner was so we could involve our kids in household chores, without worrying about them coming into contact with strong chemicals (now they have no excuse to avoid chores!).

GREAT FRAGRANCE- It has a fresh, breezy fragrance you'll love.

This stuff is incredible! It works on stainless steel appliances, kitchens, bathrooms, granite, terrazzo tile, on soap scum, floors, carpets wood, metal, plastic jewelry and painted surfaces!. It also works great to get out grease spots and stains in the laundry!

I use it to clean the baby's high chair. I don't have to worry about it leaving a harmful residue that she could ingest later. It is non-toxic, has no ammonia, no alcohol, and no harmful chemicals!

Did I mention it cleans stains out of carpet like nothing I have ever seen? A few squirts. Gone. Just today we had a purple grape juice incident on off-white carpet... I just sprayed the stain until it was saturated: IT DISAPPEARED! I didn't even have to rub it!

Like they mentioned on their website, this product is perfect for including your children in the household chores! My four year old daughter LIKES using her bright pink "princess spray." She begs me to let her wipe off the dinner table! ; )

It smells great (not a chemical smell) and it does not dry out my hands like other cleaners I have used in the past. Here is the best part: IT IS DIRT CHEAP! I found it at Wal-Mart on the household cleaning product aisle. It was less than $3.00 for a 24 fl. oz. bottle. Can you believe it?

I would love to hear your feedback on this product!